Ekstrom, Carlson & Co. was the successor to Redin Ekstrom Co. of Rockford, whose roots date back to 1904. At some point, the name changed to Ekstrom-Carlson, Inc.. In 1996 their line of larger woodworking machinery was acquired by D & R Autochuck Manufacturing, Inc.. In 1998 their small-tool division was acquired by ToolMasters LLC, which sold it at the beginning of 2016 to AS&T in Wisconsin. Ekstrom Carlson's drum sander line ended up at Sand-Rite, Inc.; Sand-Rite's website does not mention Ekstrom Carlson, however.
Ekstrom Carlson was best known for their routers, and they were an early innovator in CNC routers.
Serial Numbers: Serial numbers consists of Machine Model – Serial Number – Year of Manufacturer. For example, 327-901-61 was a Model No. 327, Serial Number 901, and built in 1961.
Information Sources
- A letterhead from 1972 says "Ekstrom, Carlson & Co. / Machinery and Tools Since 1904 / 1400 Railroad Avenue / Rockford, Illinois" (zip 61110). The logo is a stylized "ECCO".
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Planers, Matchers and Molders in America says that this company, "for a short period after WWII, built a series of molders and even a planer-matcher with cartridge profilers."
- An ad in the 1955-56 issue of Hitchcock's Wood Workers Digest Directory says that they have been in business "nearly 50 years", and shows an "ECCO" logo.
- The Ekstrom Carlson website is not owned by this apparently defunct company, but says, "D&R Autochuck Mfg. Inc. was established in 1984 to support customers who needed parts immediately for Greenlee Automatic Screw machines. In 1996, we purchased the Sander, Router, Shaper, Cut-Off Saw, Rip Saw, Radial Arm Drill, and the Multiple Spindle Boring Machine Product Lines of Ekstrom-Carlson." The website gives the company name as Ekstrom-Carlson, Inc.
- In 1998, Industrial Strength Woodworking reported that ToolMasters LLC acquired the small tool division of Ekstrom, Carlson & Co.
- Directory of Metalworking Machinery, 1951, pg. 15